“Zoey, please! I love you! Please don’t do this. Don’t end it like this. Hear me out! Let meexplain!”
As tears fell down her cheeks, she turned away from him as the elevator door closed. Her body shook uncontrollably as she sobbed into her hands. She thought she and Jude would be together forever. Forever couldn't come fastenough.
PresentDay
“That was probably a little more than you wanted to hear,”Zoeysaid.
Nathan Fielding sat across from Zoey, his small recorder sitting on the large glass desk between them. Behind Zoey, several platinum records hung onthewall.
“I didn’t expect you to be so open, but this was all great. This will really give the Silverlight documentary more heart and emotion,” he said as he jotted down a few notes. “Thank you so much for meeting with me. I didn’t think youwould.”
“You didn’t give me much choice, did you?” she asked as she stood in a black pencil skirt and silk blouse and poured herself a glass of water from a nearbypitcher.
“Have you kept in touch with anyofthem?”
“With Silverlight? No. That night was the last time I saw anyofthem.”
“NotevenJude?”
“Not even Jude,” she said. “I couldn’t see him after that. I loved him very much, but in the end I was nothing more than a muse to him. It was best that we both moved on and never kept intouch.”
“I’m sorry, but that’s so sad,”hesaid.
“It’s always sad when the one you love doesn’t love you back,” she said as she shrugged. “But we were both young, especially me. It’s all history. I’ve heard he’s really inlovenow.”
“Yes, with Lucky Saldano. I was there when they met,”hesaid.
She nodded and looked at her watch. “Well, I have real clients that would like to meet with me so if youwouldn’tmind…”
“I’m sorry, I took up much more of your time than I intended. Thank you again for your honesty and your time. If I have any questions when I review the tape, would you mind if Icalled?”
“Actually, I would mind. I’d rather not talk to you again,” she said as she pushed a button on the phone. “Security, please escort Mr.Fieldingout.”
Zoey walked to the full-length window with her arms crossed in front of her. Looking down, she waited for security to escort Nathan to the curb of the busy Los Angeles street. Once he was off the building property, she pressed another button on her phone and waited for the man’s voice on the other end toanswer.
“Hey, it’s Zoey. Nathan’s gone, probably heading back to you. I told him exactly what you said, and he ateitup.”
“Perfect. Thanks, Zoey,” Jude said. “You know how it is. I have an image touphold.”
She laughed. “Yeah, if they only knew the truth. If you need anything else, let me know,” she said as her voicecaught.
“Everythingokay?”
“Um yeah, it’s just…you know, there’s always a little truth in everything. It’s been a long time since I thought about it all. Lots ofmemories.”
"We have a lot of history together,"Judesaid.
"Yes, but we were always much better as friends. I'm glad wereconnected."
"Me too," he said. "I should have tracked you down sooner than just a few years ago. I needed to apologize. I was reckless with your feelings. I was just a stupid boy trying to keep up with you. I didn't respect youenough."
"Stop. We were both young. It's no one's fault," she saidsincerely.
“You’re coming Saturday,right?”
“I wouldn’t miss it for the world, Jude. Tell Olivia to call me if she needsanything.”
“I’m sure you’ll hear from her either way. Thanks again, Zoey. You’rethebest!”
“Don’t you forget it,” she said then pressed the button tohangup.
Smiling to herself, she pulled out a glass frame from a tall white bookshelf. One side was a photo of her, Jude, and Cade at the house in Seattle all those years ago. The other side was a photo of her, Jude, and Olivia on the SantaMonicaPier.
It was strange to think of everything that happened in the past, but they were mostly happy memories of first love and both of them growing up. She and Jude were never meant to be and they were better off as friends. Zoey was happy for both Jude and Olivia and loved them bothverymuch.
